David W. Burcham
Encyclopedia
David W. Burcham became the 15th and current President of Loyola Marymount University
on October 4, 2010. Burcham is a recognized authority on constitutional law who previously served as the university’s interim president. He is a 1984 graduate of Loyola Law School
, and is the first lay
president in the university’s history.
in 1973, and a M.A. in education administration from Cal State Long Beach in 1978. He graduated first in his class from Loyola Law School
, and clerked at the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice Byron White
(1986–87) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for Chief Judge Ruggero J. Aldisert
(1984–86). He was later in private practice at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
(1987–91).
After seven years in public and private practice, he returned to Loyola Law School to teach. He was appointed senior vice president of LMU and dean of the law school in 2000. During his tenure as dean of Loyola Law School, Burcham forged strategic improvements in the curriculum. He oversaw a host of innovative programs, including the Business Law Practicum, the Center for Juvenile Law & Policy, the Legal Masters Program (LLM) in International Legal Practice, the London IP Institute, and the Tax LLM program. Practical training programs became a hallmark of the curriculum under Burcham’s stewardship. The Byrne Trial Advocacy Team won five national championships during his deanship and he oversaw the creation of the National Civil Trial Competition, one of the country’s preeminent mock trial events.
Burcham enhanced the size and prestige of the faculty, increasing the number of full-time law professors by almost 15 percent. He also worked with faculty to establish programs in their core areas of expertise, including the Center for the Study of Law & Genocide, the Civil Justice Program, the Distinguished William J. Landers Lecture on Prosecutorial Ethics, the Fidler Institute on Criminal Justice, the Intellectual Property Special Focus Series, the Journalist Law School and the Sports Law Institute. Burcham also strengthened the law school’s financial foundation. He raised money to establish seven new faculty chairs, as well as paying for and completing the Girardi Advocacy Center and its flagship classroom, the Robinson Courtroom. With that accomplished, he instituted a building moratorium to focus on the school’s endowment, which more than doubled under his watch.
He served as the law school dean until he was named LMU’s executive vice president and provost in 2008. As LMU’s chief operating officer, Burcham strengthened the university for the long term by overseeing the current $380 million capital fund drive and the city approval process of the university's 20-year Master Plan for future growth. To that end, he reconfigured the university budget during the recent economic downturn, transferring funds from various support functions to ensure that academics remained fully funded. He also charged the chief academic officer with modernizing the core curriculum and academic requirements. In 2009-2010, LMU was named a "top producer" of Fulbright awards among institutions with master's degree programs by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Burcham and Chris, his wife, have been married for 36 years. They have two children.
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
on October 4, 2010. Burcham is a recognized authority on constitutional law who previously served as the university’s interim president. He is a 1984 graduate of Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School is the law school of Loyola Marymount University, a private Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions, in Los Angeles, California. Loyola was established in 1920. Like Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Loyola University New Orleans College of Law , it...
, and is the first lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
president in the university’s history.
Academic, professional, and personal
Burcham earned a B.A. in political science from Occidental CollegeOccidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
in 1973, and a M.A. in education administration from Cal State Long Beach in 1978. He graduated first in his class from Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School is the law school of Loyola Marymount University, a private Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions, in Los Angeles, California. Loyola was established in 1920. Like Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Loyola University New Orleans College of Law , it...
, and clerked at the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice Byron White
Byron White
Byron Raymond "Whizzer" White won fame both as a football halfback and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Appointed to the court by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, he served until his retirement in 1993...
(1986–87) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for Chief Judge Ruggero J. Aldisert
Ruggero J. Aldisert
Ruggero John Aldisert is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit....
(1984–86). He was later in private practice at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is a global law firm, founded in Los Angeles in 1890. The firm is one of the most prestigious and selective in the nation, and ranks among the most successful firms globally. Gibson Dunn has nearly 1,000 attorneys and over 2,000 staff located in 17 offices around the world,...
(1987–91).
After seven years in public and private practice, he returned to Loyola Law School to teach. He was appointed senior vice president of LMU and dean of the law school in 2000. During his tenure as dean of Loyola Law School, Burcham forged strategic improvements in the curriculum. He oversaw a host of innovative programs, including the Business Law Practicum, the Center for Juvenile Law & Policy, the Legal Masters Program (LLM) in International Legal Practice, the London IP Institute, and the Tax LLM program. Practical training programs became a hallmark of the curriculum under Burcham’s stewardship. The Byrne Trial Advocacy Team won five national championships during his deanship and he oversaw the creation of the National Civil Trial Competition, one of the country’s preeminent mock trial events.
Burcham enhanced the size and prestige of the faculty, increasing the number of full-time law professors by almost 15 percent. He also worked with faculty to establish programs in their core areas of expertise, including the Center for the Study of Law & Genocide, the Civil Justice Program, the Distinguished William J. Landers Lecture on Prosecutorial Ethics, the Fidler Institute on Criminal Justice, the Intellectual Property Special Focus Series, the Journalist Law School and the Sports Law Institute. Burcham also strengthened the law school’s financial foundation. He raised money to establish seven new faculty chairs, as well as paying for and completing the Girardi Advocacy Center and its flagship classroom, the Robinson Courtroom. With that accomplished, he instituted a building moratorium to focus on the school’s endowment, which more than doubled under his watch.
He served as the law school dean until he was named LMU’s executive vice president and provost in 2008. As LMU’s chief operating officer, Burcham strengthened the university for the long term by overseeing the current $380 million capital fund drive and the city approval process of the university's 20-year Master Plan for future growth. To that end, he reconfigured the university budget during the recent economic downturn, transferring funds from various support functions to ensure that academics remained fully funded. He also charged the chief academic officer with modernizing the core curriculum and academic requirements. In 2009-2010, LMU was named a "top producer" of Fulbright awards among institutions with master's degree programs by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Burcham and Chris, his wife, have been married for 36 years. They have two children.